SRJIS/BIMONTHLY / R. GOKUL RAJ & S. NIRMALA DEVI, (2435-2443)
SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS R. Gokul Raj, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Education, Institute of Advanced Study in Education (Autonomous), Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India-600015 S. Nirmala Devi, Ph. D. Principal, Institute of Advanced Study in Education (Autonomous), Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India-600015 Abstract The main objective of this investigation is to find out the level of acquisition of Science Process Skills and whether there is any significant difference exists in the dimensions of Science Process Skills of high school students with respect to few personal variables. For the purpose of this investigation the researcher has followed normative survey method. Sample consists of 1000 IXth standard students distributed evenly from5 districts of Tamil Nadu (includes boys [466] and girls [534] both Tamil and English medium students) from government, government aided and private schools. Samples were selected using random sampling techniques. The Science Process Skills Inventory was constructed and validated by the researcher used for this investigation. Collected data were analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques. The major findings of the research show that there is very low positive correlation (0.230) between the science process skills and achievement in science among high school students. Key Words: Science Process Skills, Scientific inquiry, Achievement in Science Introduction: Science Process Skills (SPS) are defined as transferable skills that are applicable to many sciences and that reflect the behaviors of scientists. They are the skills that facilitate learning in physical sciences, ensure active student participation, have students develop the sense of undertaking responsibility in their own learning, increase the permanence of learning, and also have students acquire research ways and methods, that is, they ensure thinking and behaving like a scientist. For this reason, it is an important method in teaching science lessons. SPS are the building-blocks of critical thinking and inquiry in science (Ostlund, 1992).
NOV - DECEMBER, 2014. VOL-II/XV
www.srjis.com
Page 2435